Brake Squeal. How To Stop It...

Been getting a lot of brake squealing for awhile....They don't really squeal if applied from time to time but after only a few minutes in a traffic jam or a road with traffic lights like every quarter mile; they like to make a lot of noise....it's finally driving me crazy enough to post, hoping for an answer.....couldn't find really anything except maybe "Burnishing". Don't know if I could do that with a tractor trailer.....WD-40? Umm. Probably not a good idea right?

Please help before I get into another traffic jam which due to running the Northeast region is often an hourly event...lol

We have a saying in the Construction Business. "There are two types of concrete. Concrete that is cracked, and concrete that's gonna' crack. In my experience it holds true with automobile brakes too. "There are brakes that squeal, and brakes that are gonna' squeal. Although, it is more common for disc brakes to squeal than drum brakes on an automobile. Just my $.02. Im sure you will get a "real" answer from someone on this!

Mine do that too. I talked to the mechanics at the shop and they told me there wasn't really anything they could do about it. He said sometimes brakes are just noisy.

The only thing that would really fix it is to take off the brake shoes and sand the "glaze" off of them. (Glaze being a thin layer on top of the shoe material that overheated and became very smooth). That being said, unless you're a trained mechanic, messing with your brakes would be a big no-no. Although annoying, glazed brakes are not a big deal.

That's what I figured might be the answer. Im no mechanic, so i guess I'm going to have to deal with it. Either get me some ear plugs, or turn the radio up or, perhaps, just downshift to 1st gear then use the brakes.....lol. People behind me will love that one. However, my truck is due in for some minor repairs next week, so, I hope I can plead with the mechanics to quiet them down a bit.....I may have to come prepared with a dozen donuts and coffee for a bribe.....until then, I'll just keep the anxiety high in the car in front of me that prays that I will actually stop behind them and not on top of them....lol

.....until then, I'll just keep the anxiety high in the car in front of me that prays that I will actually stop behind them and not on top of them....lol

I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're just joking here before I start rambling about how unsafe this sounds...

I'm referring to the noise they hear, of course, as I come to my stop, behind them and with plenty of room to fit at least another car in the space between us.....but that squeal noise does make them wonder if I'm truly will be stopping safely behind them....

Did you really take that statement seriously, .......or was you foolin me.....

I'm referring to the noise they hear, of course, as I come to my stop, behind them and with plenty of room to fit at least another car in the space between us.....but that squeal noise does make them wonder if I'm truly will be stopping safely behind them....

Did you really take that statement seriously, .......or was you foolin me.....

Ah I gotcha. I didn't know how to take it lol. I read it like you were going to avoid pressing very hard on your brakes so you didn't have to hear the squeal, even if it meant barely stopping in time. That's obviously not what you meant though. Sorry!